Boys Soccer Dream Team: A season to remember for local squads

DOVER — It was another fine soccer fall for local boys teams. Although none tasted championship glory, there were plenty of highlights to go around.

No club in the local area had a better tournament run than St. Thomas Aquinas, which finished the season at 8-8-3 but not before advancing to the Division II semifinals as the No. 12 seed. In fact, the Saints were just one of four local D-II teams to pull off first-round upsets. No. 9 Portsmouth, No. 10 Coe-Brown and No. 11 Oyster River all opened the tournament with road wins against higher seeds.

In Division III, Prospect Mountain earned the No. 8 seed but lost a 1-0 thriller at No. 1 Belmont in the quarters. The Timberwolves finished at 10-7-1. Newmarket earned the No. 5 seed in Division IV and advanced to the quarterfinals, finishing 13-5.

In Maine, he Noble boys went 9-7 and earned a 2-0 upset victory at South Portland in the first round of the Western Maine Class A tournament, before bowing out at Greely in the quarterfinals. Marshwood, led by Foster’s player of the year Alex McLean, went 8-6-1 and fell to Cape Elizabeth in the Western Maine Class A tournament prelims. The Berwick Academy boys advanced to the NEPSAC tournament.

How the team was picked: Area coaches nominate players from their teams and offer input on player of the year and coach of the year. The sports staff makes the final selections.

ALEX MCLEAN

Marshwood

The senior midfielder was the first Hawk in more than 10 years to earn first-team all-SMAA honors. He scored nine goals.

“He was first on our team in total points (assists and goals),” said Marshwood coach Ben Deschene. “Over his years here Alex played defense, midfield and forward. He was very versatile, physical, and was the engine behind the team. He did an amazing job controlling the midfield which is usually the difference in having a winning or losing season at this level.”

MATT FOSTER

Noble

For guiding Noble to its best season in years, which included a final record of 9-7 and a berth in the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals, Matt Foster is our coach of the year.

“I must say that all the credit for the success of this season really goes to the guys,” Foster said. “We had an amazing group of senior leaders this year who decided very early on that this season was not going to be like any of the past three that they have had. They made sure all the other guys were on board and I really only had to take care of putting the pieces together.”

“He’s a big center striker, has a great understanding of the game and competitive passion,” Oyster River coach Charlie Crull said. “He has the ability to strike the ball with both feet making him a multi-dimensional goal scorer.”

MAX MCCOOMB

Marshwood

A senior, McCoomb finished second in the SMAA in scoring with 13 goals and was a second-team all-SMAA selection.

“He was always a danger and scoring threat,” Deschene said. “Very quick up front. Had hat -tricks multiple times. His technical ability matched with athleticism and sheer energy forced other teams to man mark him or always be aware of where he was.”

SAM MORIN

Newmarket

The senior was a D-IV honorable mention all-state selection and scored 15 goals for the Mules in their journey to the tournament quarterfinals..

The senior was a second-team all-SMAA selection with 11 goals and six assists, tied for team lead in both categories.

“He was really the offensive catalyst for our team contributing to 17 of the 39 goals we scored this year,” Noble coach Matt Foster said. “He was a great leader and captain, and he will be very hard to replace next year.”

“A true workhorse controlling play in the middle of the field,” Dover coach Andy Allen said. “He has great ball skills and control of the game. He often gets overlooked because of our record but put him on any team in the state and he would stand out on that team.”

LOGAN MAJOR

Spaulding

The senior scored nine goals with six assists. He earned D-I honorable mention all-state honors and was named an alternate for the N.H. Lion’s Cup team.

“We scored 17 goals as a team and he was involved in 15 of them,” Red Raider coach Dan Curran said. “He’s played everywhere for me but his natural position is as a center back. Played center mid for me this year as a necessity and truly took many games into his own hands for us.”

ZACH JAROSZ

Newmarket

The senior defender was a first-team D-IV all state selection and provided key senior leadership during the Mules’ run to the quarterfinals.

“He pretty much ran our defense,” Morill said. “He was able to change point of attack easily, and was our leader as a captain.”

NOAH SCHWAEGERLE

St. Thomas

The senior was a second-team all-state defender with a monster goal kick, instrumental in leading the 12th-seeded Saints to the D-II semis.

“His size and quickness helped him to be a good defender,” St. Thomas coach Scott Suleski said. “He was able to help control counter attacks and send the ball back into our offense. For two seasons he has led our defense and will leave big cleats to fill in our back line.”

ALFRED AGNEW

Coe-Brown Northwood Academy

Agnew, a senior, was a versatile defender and a D-II first-team all-state selection, leading the Bears to the quarterfinals.

“A fierce tackler and unmatched speed and quickness, he plays at his highest level in every game or practice,” Coe-Brown coach Christian Gompert said. “His professionalism and passion at this level make him a natural leader, he is still humble and respectful, and received our team’s Outstanding Contribution Award.”

DREW MARTIN

Noble

Eight shutouts in nine Noble victories, plus an appearance in the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals earned Martin a spot on the Dream Team.

“He stepped up and had an amazing year,” Foster said. “He held the top seed and nearly four-goals-per-game Gorham to just two goals.”

BRODY LAJOIE, Somersworth — The senior goalie returned to the game after two years away to backbone the Hilltoppers:

CHRIS RICHARDS, Berwick Academy — The senior was a four-year starter and an Eastern Independent League first-team all-star;